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At the end of the year celebration for the Armed Forces today, President Jair Bolsonaro said that he sees in the barracks a “consolation” in case of “any unforeseen event.” The Chief Executive attended a lunch with the Minister of Defense, Fernando Azevedo, and commanders of the Armed Forces. The event took place at the Brasilia Aeronautical Club.
Vice President Hamilton Mourão and the palace ministers also participated in the fraternization. Despite the trend of increasing cases of the new coronavirus and more than 178,000 deaths from the disease in Brazil, Bolsonaro said at the event that the country did “well” on the issue of the pandemic.
“The moments of comfort that I have are due in large part to the certainty that, in the face of any unforeseen event, the Armed Forces are ready to fulfill their duty and help others,” he said. Bolsonaro recalled that the beginning of his mandate was marked by “a very sad situation” that involved the environmental disaster in Brumadinho, which had the support of the Armed Forces.
Bolsonaro cited that the government is the target of criticism that seeks to discredit its work, but that, despite this, the country did “well” during the COVID-19 pandemic. “They look for possible defects with a magnifying glass. They search by all means even to discredit us and we have a very bad time with the pandemic. Along with our other colleagues, civil ministers, we have behaved very well, not only in terms of the economy, but also in seeking reduce the suffering of our brothers, ”he declared.
He also cited the performance of the military in November during the Amapá blackout. “Those of the two episodes (Amapá and Brumadinho) were at the forefront to seek to improve the pain of our brothers and sisters, and the army is proud of that,” he said. In a nod to Mourão, the Chief Executive pointed out that the presidency and vice-presidency are held by the military. “Brazil looks at us. It has a president and a vice who are military,” he said.
With optimism, the president said that next year will be “much better than 2020.” In his speech, Bolsonaro also emphasized that he wants to deliver a better Brazil than to replace it. “I ask God that we have assumed this government so that we do not stay forever, but that our missions, our examples, the two years without any trace of corruption, make a difference.”
Approximately 75 people attended the luncheon, which is normally a year-end event for more than 300 guests with the participation of all general officers. This year, due to the restrictions of the new coronavirus, the event brought together only four-star generals, in addition to ministers and military advisers. Diagnosed with covid-19 and still recovering from surgery on the femur, General Edson Leal Pujol, from the Army, did not attend the event.
In his speech, Fernando Azevedo highlighted and thanked Bolsonaro’s attention to the Defense area. “We recognize the clear commitment of its political capital to enable important solutions in the defense area.” The minister cited that the government has supported initiatives for “permanent modernization of the military instrument.”
“Peace is not a guarantee, it is an achievement. Avoiding conflicts is the noblest job we have a duty to do. Until now, the strategy of deterrence and presence adopted in Brazil has been a safe option. We must persevere on this path” . Azevedo stressed. Air Force Commander Antonio Carlos Bermúdez, host of the meeting, also spoke on behalf of the military at the event and highlighted Bolsonaro’s democratic victory in the 2018 elections.
“By winning the presidential elections democratically, you (Bolsonaro) received the confidence of the people to lead this nation and you promised to guarantee a more dignified life for our people, full of opportunities,” he quoted. He added: “The Armed Forces believe that only a free nation has the certainty of a dignified development assured. We affirm that we will be united and strong in the fulfillment of the missions assigned to us so that our Brazil can remain in a stable and ascending flight towards the future”. we all want. “
